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by qwertox 179 days ago
If Google would care at all for their users, they'd tell WhatsApp to not require the use of the Contacts permission only to add names to numbers when you don't share the Contacts with the App.

Or they'd tell WhatsApp to allow granting microphone permissions for one single call, instead of requesting permanent microphone permissions. All apps that I know of respect the flow of "Ask every time", all but Meta's app.

Google just doesn't care.
2 comments
uyzstvqs 179 days ago
That's all opinionated, and the latter is part of the OS, not WhatsApp. Not liking how an app works does not compare to an app exfiltrating data without your consent.
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qwertox 179 days ago
Let me explain: my WhatsApp has no privileges granted. So when a call comes in, which is a very rare thing, I get asked to grant the microphone permission. So I grant it, but only for one time, and when Android hands back focus to WhatsApp, it won't just make use of the microphone, but re-ask for microphone access, so you go into the permissions intent but there it is already set to "only this time". Only if i change it to "when I am using the app", then it works, but that is not acceptable for me, because that background use is a passive use, which can access the microphone. This means that WhatsApp can enable the mic whenever it likes, which it cannot do if "only this time" is selected. But the app is against that. I do not know how they do this, but that is what happens.
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donohoe 179 days ago
They are not comparing it to the data issue. The original issue was lead to further conversation. It’s a valid concern and they make a good point.
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josephg 179 days ago
I wish there was another button on those contact permission boxes which would tell the app you've granted permissions. But when they try to read your contacts, send them randomly generated junk. Fake phone numbers. Fake names.

Or even better, mix in some real names and phone numbers but change all the other details. I want data brokers to think I live in 8 different countries. I want my email address to show up for 50 different identities. Good luck sorting that out.

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